DIY: Custom Illuminated Marquee

After seeing the “Venice” sign in Mission’s Butter Beauty Parlour, I was motivated to create an illuminating sign of my own.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 1: Using Word or Photoshop, choose a font and size your letters accordingly. Using the size of your lightbulbs as a gauge, the thickness of each letter should be about 1/2” larger than the bulb. Print on cardstock.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 3: Next, figure out how many lightbulbs you will use per letter, and sketch out placement. Using a lightbulb base as a guide, trace circles where you will cut holes for the lights. Carefully use a blade to cut the holes, but don’t worry if they’re a bit ragged. Once painted, that detail adds to the “metallic” look of the sign.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 4: Using the rest of the foam core, cut out 3”-wide strips. You will be using these pieces to build up the sides of your letters.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 5: Grab your glue gun and use it to slowly glue the foam core sides onto the letters. When creating curves like the ones on this “O,” score lines on the underside of the foam core to add some flexibility.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 7: Foam core is great for painting on, because the paint adheres well, but you should do two coats of your base colour. Allow to fully dry.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Step 8: Here is the super-creative part—making rust! I used a combination of different colours, including dark red, metallic gold, apple green, burnt umber, tan and pumpkin orange. Use a dry brush when applying the rust effect; work in a spotted fashion, dabbing the brush lightly along edges. Step 9: Allow to dry.Kait Kucy
/ Swerve

Sometimes you just need a witty saying or word on your wall to spark conversation or to incite your own personal inspiration. After seeing the “Venice” sign in Mission’s Butter Beauty Parlour, I was motivated to create an illuminating sign of my own. I haven’t welded metal since my third year of art school, so I built the sign out of foam core and created a faux-rust paint treatment to mimic the beautifully deteriorated letters one might find in a junkyard.

I chose “Oh my” as my wall phrase as I often catch myself using it as a precursor to other words. It is always “Oh my (something)…” around here. Location in your home or workspace is also important when choosing your word(s). For example, a big “Hello” would be charming in a front foyer, whereas a lowercase “eat” in your breakfast nook gets the message across. The steps below are simple and, before you know it, your place will be lit up with star-worthy lights.

Step 1: Using Word or Photoshop, choose a font and size your letters accordingly. Using the size of your lightbulbs as a gauge, the thickness of each letter should be about 1/2” larger than the bulb. Print on cardstock. Cut out letters.

Step 2: Tape letters to the foam core, then cut around the letter stencils.

Step 3: Next, figure out how many lightbulbs you will use per letter, and sketch out placement. Using a lightbulb base as a guide, trace circles where you will cut holes for the lights. Carefully use a blade to cut the holes, but don’t worry if they’re a bit ragged. Once painted, that detail adds to the “metallic” look of the sign.

Step 4: Using the rest of the foam core, cut out 3”-wide strips. You will be using these pieces to build up the sides of your letters.

Step 5: Grab your glue gun and use it to slowly glue the foam core sides onto the letters. When creating curves like the ones on this “O,” score lines on the underside of the foam core to add some flexibility.

Step 6: Finish glueing the letters and prepare for painting.

Step 7: Foam core is great for painting on, because the paint adheres well, but you should do two coats of your base colour. Allow to fully dry.

Step 8: Here is the super-creative part—making rust! I used a combination of different colours, including dark red, metallic gold, apple green, burnt umber, tan and pumpkin orange. Use a dry brush when applying the rust effect; work in a spotted fashion, dabbing the brush lightly along edges.

Step 9: Allow to dry.

Step 10: Start placing your lightbulbs’ bases into the holes. I used packing tape to keep the electrical cords aligned inside the letters.

Step 11: Now, carefully hang your letters in words on the wall. I used small nails and pushed them inside the centre of the foam-core letters to ensure stability.

Step 12: Carefully screw in the lightbulbs and plug in. Finally, you’ve got your own marquee with your name (or otherwise) in lights!

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